Lorelai in Wonderland
by DramaQueen1103
Summary: Lorelai is married to Max. How will Lorelai handle life with twin teenagers, a sick child, and a baby on the way. This story used to be co-written with visionsxofxme but has now been moved to my account.
1. The Beginning

The smell of a fresh pot of coffee fills the house faster than a track star can run a mile. Lorelai pours her husband a cup and hands it to him on his way out the door. He would normally wait and take the kids to school with him but on this particular morning he has a staff meeting.

"Thanks honey," he says.

"No problem," she replies. As he reaches his car she calls out. "We're out of milk."

"I got it." He reassures her. She blows him a kiss as his car leaves the driveway. Lorelai smiles to herself feeling like the luckiest woman to have such an amazing and sexy husband and three amazing children.

As she hurries up the stairs to prepare for her own job she passes their family portrait. Noah was just a baby then, she thinks to herself. They all looked so happy. All five of them together. Lorelai smiled and continued to her room only stopping to knock on the door of her oldest son.

"Braden, come on." She yells over the blaring stereo. "It's after six." And then heads into the bathroom.

He, of course, doesn't stir. Braden a young man of almost sixteen sleeps through his wake up call. No worries, only the first of many. His sister, however, in the bedroom downstairs is already up, showered, and dressed in her Chilton preparatory uniform. Being the complete opposite of her twin brother she's the early bird while he is the night owl.

Lorelai finishes getting dressed and goes to wake up her oldest son for a second time. "Braden." She knocks. "Six thirty." She pauses for a moment. "Are you awake?"

She hears a groan. It's not much but it'll do for now. "Come on you got to catch your bus." She hits the door again.

Across the hall sleeps her baby. Her little Noah, the spitting image of her father. She opens the door quietly to see him still wrapped in his Elmo sheets thumb perfectly placed in his mouth. Walking over to his bed she whispers his name.

"Noah," …. "Noah." she shakes his shoulder gently. "Wake up, little man."

The boy opens his eyes a little and then closes them again. "Come on," she says pulling the covers back and helping her semi conscious four year old out of bed.

"I no want to wake up mommy," Noah says sleepily and rolls over, pops his thumb back in his mouth, and closes his eyes. He's not really asleep, just pretending.

Lorelai pauses for a moment and then, "Well Noah if you're going to be a sleepy head then the tickle monster is going to come to wake you." She raises her arms, her hands ready to tickle attack, and smiling she begins to tickle her sweet angel.

Noah laughs and thrashes his legs around kicking his Elmo sheets off him, and he begs his mom, the "tickle monster" to stop. But Lorelai keeps tickling him for another minute to make sure he's awake. When he is awake, Lorelai helps him put some clothes on and tells him to go in the bathroom and pee. He does as he's told and when he walks downstairs he finds his mom wrapping a warm pop tart, fresh from the toaster, in a paper towel, his eyes light up in delight and his grin is huge. He loves pop tarts.

Lorelai hands Noah the paper towel wrapped pop tart and grabs his backpack and her purse and keys. She is going to drop him off at Miss Patty's while she goes to work at the Independence Inn, and as they are walking out to the tan jeep, Lorelai tells her older children goodbye.

"Have a great day at school! Learn a lot!"

Rory smiles at her mom as she carries her travel mug of coffee. And Braden mumbles, "Thanks mom." He really does love his mom, even if he doesn't show it.

"Braden, don't skip any classes today, please," Lorelai warns.

Braden simply rolls his eyes and walks with his twin sister to the bus stop. As they are waiting for the bus, Rory takes out her bus book and reads, while Braden sits on the bench impatiently.

"Be still Braden, gosh," Rory admonishes him, like a mother would a small child, without looking up from her book.

"Can't help it. The bus is just taking forever."

"Sorry bro," Rory says with a small smirk of enjoyment on her face.

The bus ride to school wasn't a long one but it seemed that way to Braden. As soon as it stopped in front of Chilton he ran off to find his girlfriend, Louise, leaving Rory to be bombarded by Tristan.

"Hello, Mary!" Tristan says popping out seemingly from nowhere with a huge smile plastered on his face.

Rory, still carrying her bus book, doesn't look at him and keep a completely straight face. "What do you want Tristan? I have a name, you know!"

"I know. What was it again?" Tristan asks feigning amnesia, still smiling. And Rory quickly glances at him, hoping he won't notice her staring at his short golden locks, spiked up, and his dazzling green eyes which he fixates on her.

"You can't be that ignorant! What do you want?" Rory rolls her eyes in mock annoyance.

"I wanted to know if you'd like to go out with me!" Tristan is now walking backwards so he can face Rory since it is clear she's not going to stop walking long enough to talk to him. His charming grin never disappears from his boyish face.

Rory thinks about it. The truth is, the thought of dating Tristan makes her giddy, and at the same time revolts her. But there is just something adventurous about him, something exciting that she just can't put her finger on.

"Can I get back to you with my answer?"

Tristan's smile widens, and a knowing look appears in his eyes. It's a look that says he knows she'll go out with him. He nods. "Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Tristan!"

"No problem…Mary!" And with a smile and an eye roll from Rory, Tristan turns and walks in the school.

A wide grin appears on Rory's face and she's thinking about what it'd be like to date Tristan, lost in her daydreams, when she bumps into something…somebody. Paris.

"Watch where you're going," Paris yells at her.

"I-I'm sorry, Paris," Rory says as she bends down to help Paris pick up her dropped books.

"Whatever." Paris rolls her eyes and though Rory cannot see this because Paris is looking at the floor, Rory senses it.

"What is your problem?"

"Are you going out with Tristan?" Paris asks a slight twinge of jealousy in her voice and pain in her eyes when she finally looks up at Rory.

"He asked me. I didn't say yes," Rory answers but adds a silent _yet_. She wants to talk it over with her mom before forming a concrete solution, also talking to her best friend, Lane, will be in order also.

"He's not your type."

"Why because he's a 'bad boy'?" Rory asks using the air quotes.

Paris smiles, but not a friendly smile, it's a smile reserved for one's enemies. "No."

"Then why?"

"Because he's not a teacher!"

"And what is that supposed to mean, Paris?"

"Oh you know. Your step dad is Mr. Medina, right?"

Rory makes a disgruntled face. "Oh my God, Paris. You are horrible! I am _not_ dating him and I'm not interested in teacher types just because Mr. Medina is my step dad. But if you have nothing better to do than to be so petty, then go for it."

Rory doesn't stand around and wait for Paris to add anything, she simply walks right on by Paris headed to her locker to drop off some books and grab a few more for her first class.

"That's not entirely what I meant," Paris calls after her. "I just meant that you seem to like teacher-y types because you're so much like your mom! And Mr. Medina _is_ your step dad and you do live in a small town; how do I know you don't share him with your mom when you're starved for entertainment."

Paris actually made herself a little sick with that comment, but she's sticking with it. Rory, being the bigger person, doesn't even dignify Paris' statement with a response. She simply keeps walking. But the comment made her mad, and she would like to, if she was the type, go over there and bitch slap Paris.

First period History speeds by much quicker than normal, and soon it's time for English Literature with Mr. Medina where Rory will undoubtedly run into Paris, but luckily Braden is also in the class at the same time so Paris may not give Rory a hard time around Braden. Rory and Braden are both strong, mentally and emotionally, of which they get it from their mom, but when it comes to physical strength then Braden is the one no one wants to mess with, of the twins. Rory has brains over brawn.

Rory walks into the classroom with her yellow backpack on her back, and carrying a binder and some books. She smiles at Max when she sees him and he returns the smile. Rory takes her seat in the front row and after a couple seconds sees her brother walk in, but he goes straight to the back without looking at his step dad. And when the rest of the class files in intermittently, the bell finally rings.

"Good morning class," Max begins, smiling. "Today we're going to discuss Emily Dickinson."

"Snore!" Braden pipes up loudly with his feet propped up on his desk which is not exactly easy considering the desk and chair are connected.

"Excuse me Mr. Gilmore…Is there a problem?" Max asks trying to resist the urge to act fatherly, or step fatherly.

"I just said, snore, as in Emily Dickinson is a snore. You know the same crap you read to Noah before bed sometimes? It puts him right to sleep," Braden explains as his eyes are fixated on his hands that are playing with something.

"I think this is another issue for another time, so moving on. Please open her book to page 254!" Max opens his own book as he tells the class to.

The class reads the poem on page 254 then, and as they are discussing it, Rory and Paris seem to get into a verbal sparring match to see who can beat whom at the "game." And as Paris' face is turning red at Rory's in depth, very creative answer, Braden speaks again.

"Come on, we can all figure out what the poem is about—no offense to you Rory—but this is kid stuff Mr. Medina. Give us a challenging poem at least, if you're going to make us read boring poetry."

"Oh so it's the poetry you have issues with then, not just Emily Dickinson as a person. Because for a moment I was going to ask if you knew her personally," Max retorts, smiling.

"Yes, something along those lines. Who needs all that mushy poetry, or poetry about depression and despair? Life is bad enough." Braden makes an air noose and pretends to hang himself. "Seriously, I'd rather rip out all my toenails."

"Alright Braden, go wait in the hall until after class," Max says. "I've had enough of that attitude, we need to talk."

Braden packs up his stuff, gives Max a smug look, and walks out. But he doesn't wait in the hall. Instead he walks outside and in the parking lot hops into a waiting brand new cherry red mustang convertible. He's off with some friends, friends from Chilton.

Just before the bell to signal the end of class rings, Max explains homework. "Don't forget to read the chapter about Emily Dickinson's life, and writing, because we're not only going to analyze her poems but take a look at her, the author, and she writes with such authority about the world even though she lived as a virtual recluse. Read. And those essays are due on Friday. Those of you just starting, I'll be able to tell. Have a nice day!"

Max finishes explaining homework and the bell rings. Students file out of the room, and Max walks out of the classroom looking in the hall for Braden but doesn't see him, so he goes back in the classroom with the intent of asking Rory.

"Rory, may I speak with you please?" Max asks with a disappointed look in his eyes. His disappointment is not for Rory but Braden.

"Yeah, of course." Rory hangs back.

As Paris is walking out of the room with Madeline and Louise, she turns and looks at Rory and whispers just loud enough for Max to hear also. "Oh going to get it on, huh? Good luck." She turns her nose up in the air, snottily, pleased with what she's done.

Max looks to Rory in confusion. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Rory replies. "So you wanted to talk with me…"

"Yes, yes I did. Do you know what's gotten into Braden and where he might've gone just now?"

"He doesn't think you have any right to tell him what to do, as a teacher or our step-dad. And I think he probably went off with some friends."

"Well as a teacher, I do have a right to control what does and does not go on in my classroom, and deserve some respect. And maybe he's right about the other part, the stepfather part, but it's not like you guys' dad is around. You need a father figure, and I love you and Braden as my own…as I love Noah."

Rory shrugs. "Well maybe talk to Braden. And I love having you as my dad. See, the way I figure it… you aren't just a stepdad. I love you and my biological dad equally."

Max grins at Rory, happy to hear her say that, now if only he could figure out what is bothering Braden. He hugs Rory quickly and tells her she can go on to her next class, so she walks to the door but turns back and smiles at Max.

"Don't worry. I'm sure he'll come around sooner or later!"

"Thanks Rory," Max tells her, not exactly feeling more confident but feeling better for the time being.

As the day goes on, Rory doesn't see Braden at school and knows he cut classes. And the rest of the day Rory tries to go about her own business, but Paris keeps popping up to give Rory a hard time, except she's mostly just annoying. Rory just ignores her figuring maybe Paris will wear herself out.

When the day finally ends, Rory walks out to her bus and shows her bus pass. She takes a seat in the back, pulls out her bus book, a novel this time, and begins reading as she blocks all the other passengers out. She sits and reads until the bus arrives in Stars Hollow close to thirty minutes later. Rory steps off the bus still holding her book, but not reading. She walks across the street to pick up Noah from Miss Patty's.

Before Rory even enters the dance studio a little boy with dark hair, a light dusting of freckles across his nose, piercing blue-gray eyes, and a huge grin on his face comes running out. "Rory! Rory!" He yells.

Noah is tall for his age, but he inherited that from his grandfather, who he is the spitting image of, and he has not only great intelligence but a very charismatic personality and radiant sense of humor. He can make anyone laugh on their gloomiest of days. And he is the light of his family's eye.

"Noah!" Rory exclaims picking him up and twirling him around as he had just reached her. When she sets him down he is dizzy but excited. "How was your day? Did you have fun at Miss Patty's?"

"I had fun. Miss Patty letted me skip my nap today," Noah replies enthusiastically talking a mile a minute that trait he inherited from his mother and sister.

"You mean, 'let,' not 'letted,'" Rory corrects him, smiling at his innocence.

"That's what I said," he laughs.

Rory and Noah reach Miss Patty's to grab Noah's back pack and Rory thanks Miss Patty for watching him. In his four years, he adores his older siblings, and he wants to be around them all the time. They walk home and Noah asks question after question.

"Where is Braden?" Noah asks Rory, a quizzical look on his face.

"He's with some friends, he'll be home later," Rory answers hoping that he is, indeed, with his friends. And they walk in the house where Rory fixes Noah a snack and sets him up in front of the TV, his request, and she begins her homework.


	2. Step Sons and Surprises

At five thirty in the evening, Lorelai, with her arms full of groceries, struggles to make it through the door. She walks into the quiet house and into the kitchen, she doesn't see anyone, but she sets the groceries on the table.

"Hello? Rory? Braden? Max?" She calls out to each of them, except Noah because no way would they leave a four year old home alone.

She doesn't get an answer right away but a few minutes later, the little dark haired boy with freckles comes running down the stairs and into the kitchen. He flies into his mom's arms.

"Mommy!" He screeches, hugging her tightly.

"Hey pumpkin," Lorelai says smiling, hugging him. "Where are your brother and sister? Is your dad home?"

"Rory in her room, Braden not here and neither is daddy," Noah says. He is usually a much better talker, with better grammar but when he's craving attention—feeling he's been deprived, even if he hasn't—then he doesn't talk very well.

"Okay thanks baby! Did you eat?" Lorelai asks.

"Rory gived me a snack when we got home, but I am hungry."

"Gave you a snack," Rory corrects him as she emerges from her room. "Hey mom, where is dad?"

"Dad's not home. Duh," Noah answers for Lorelai. He rolls his eyes but it's not convincing with the grin on his face.

Rory and Lorelai laugh. "Did Braden come home at all?" Lorelai asks her daughter.

"No! He left school during second period, English Literature, and I haven't seen him since."

"What happened that he left _during_ class?" Lorelai asks with concern in her eyes and anger brewing just below the surface.

"He had an argument with Max."

Lorelai sighs. She goes about beginning to put groceries away with Rory's help and they continue talking.

"Did the rest of the day go okay for you, though?"

"Yes, for the most part," Rory replies being purposefully vague. She tells her mother everything, but at the moment she doesn't feel like it's the best time, with her mom being so concerned about Braden and Max's argument.

"What happened?"

"Paris."

"Ah, enough said. But for the heck of it, what'd she do now?"

"She was just trying to upset me and kept antagonizing. It's okay though."

Once the groceries are put away, Lorelai looks to her children, "Do you guys want to go to Luke's for dinner? I have to get back to the Inn in an hour for an evening wedding, and we can't very well wait for Braden or your dad."

"YES! YES! YES!" Noah screams enthusiastically jumping up and down.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Rory agrees.

"What sounds good?" Max asks walking in after hearing Rory.

"Luke's Diner for dinner," Lorelai answers. "Want to go?"

"Yes. Where is Braden?"

"Gone," Noah answers. "Let's go. I hungryyyy!"

"Alright come on buddy," Max tells Noah.

The four of them head out the door to Luke's and Lorelai tells Max that he'll be alone with the kids that night because she has a wedding at the Inn, but he assures her they will be fine.

Later Max, Rory, and Noah sit on the couch, watching the Emperor's New Groove. Noah who is practically unconscious fights to keep his eyes open, while his older sister has already fallen asleep beside him. Max is too worried about Braden to even think of sleep, but just as Max contemplates calling Lorelai, the prodigal step-son walks through the door, he slams it and storms upstairs to his room, slamming his bedroom door as well. Rory and Noah are both startled awake by the slamming doors. Max gets up and follows behind Braden. By the time he reaches his bedroom door the rock music is already blasting. He knocks twice and yells through the door and over the music.

"Braden…Braden. Open this door." Braden makes no move. Not for the door, not off his bed, not at all. He simply sits, daring Max to take it further. His step-father complies by opening the door enraged by the boy's defiance.

"Did you hear me calling you?" He again yells over the stereo.

"Yeah," Braden shrugs. "So?" Max walks over to the booming box of music and switches it off.

"So? What's your problem Braden?"

"Maybe I don't have a problem."

"Oh really, you could have fooled me. You're acting up in school, talking back at home, and slamming doors. That doesn't sound like a problem to you?"

"Okay maybe you're my problem." He retorts.

Max sits down on the chair by Braden's desk, and with his elbows on his knees he looks Braden in the eyes deeply and carefully. The whites of Braden's eyes are bloodshot.

"Braden have you been smoking pot?" Max questions.

"WHAT? No!" Braden yells outraged.

"Then why are you so defensive?"

Braden stands up and gets right in Max's face. "I am defensive because you're fucking accusing me of smoking pot, which I am not, and you should know that. You also have no fucking right to tell me what to do!"

Braden grabs his black hoodie and runs down the stairs and out the front door, slamming it loudly. Noah begins crying uncontrollably, scared because he's never seen his brother—his idol—act like that before. Rory tries to console her younger brother.

"Come on sweet Noah, it is okay," Rory says to him as she picks him up and cuddles him.

"No it not. Braden gonna hurt me," Noah says in between sobs.

_Oh yeah, he's definitely using drugs,_ Max thinks to himself as he walks back downstairs to hear little Noah crying and Rory trying to calm him.

"He's not going to hurt you Noah, he loves you," Rory tries to assure her young brother.

"Daddy!" Noah climbs off Rory's lap and runs over to his dad. "Braden mad at me?"

"No, he's not mad at you buddy. He's mad at me," Max tells him as he lifts him up into his strong arms. "I think it's time for you to go to bed now."

"You read me a story?" Noah looks up at his dad with pleading eyes.

"Sure. What do you want to hear tonight?"

"What Rory is reading?" Noah asks getting his grammar mixed up because it's late and he's tired.

"I'm reading Emily Dickinson," Rory replies not telling him it's just _one_ of the books she's reading.

"I hear that then," Noah tells his dad.

Max laughs and agrees. He carries Noah upstairs but makes him use the bathroom first and brush his teeth, then put his pajamas on, and while he does that Max grabs his copy of Emily Dickinson. When he walks into Noah's room, he sees Noah sprawled out on his bed, on top of his Elmo sheets, and already passed out. Max simply covers him up, kisses his forehead, and turns on the night light before shutting off the big light and shutting the door a crack.

Walking downstairs Max stops in front of their family portrait, the same one that Lorelai stared at just that morning, and he smiles at the memory. Braden was just getting into his teenage rebellion and angst, but at that point it wasn't so bad, but Lorelai did have to beg him not to wear all black. In the end, it took a bribe from Max of twenty dollars to get Braden to change out of his black. Resigning himself to the fact that he'll have to break the news to Lorelai, about his suspicions of Braden smoking marijuana, he sighs and walks over to sit on the couch.

"Is Braden smoking pot or doing any other drugs?" Max comes right out and asks Rory.

"Where is this coming from? I don't think he is, but he wouldn't tell me if he was," Rory replies, shocked that it's come to this. That Max _has_ to ask her about Braden's doings.

"I was just wondering. He smelled of marijuana tonight and his eyes were bloodshot, but I was wondering if you knew for sure, and if he's doing other drugs."

"No, sorry I don't. But I can ask…"

"No, it's okay," Max assures her.

"Okay. Well I'm going to go to bed, goodnight, dad!"

"Goodnight, Rory!"

Rory walks back to her bedroom, puts her pajamas on and climbs into bed. And Max, meanwhile, is sitting in the living room reading Emily Dickinson as he waits for Lorelai to come home. He's too worked up and worried about Braden to even think of sleeping, and he's hoping Braden will come in, but he doesn't.

Finally Lorelai arrives home at three-thirty in the morning, and she tiptoes trying not to wake anyone but then she sees Max awake in the living room.

"Hey sweets," she whispers as she bends down to give him a quick kiss on the mouth. "Why are you up? Are the kids okay? You?"

"Rory and Noah are fine, asleep for hours. But Braden finally came home, earlier tonight—still late—and he slammed the front door, and his bedroom door and he smelled of marijuana and had bloodshot eyes. We got into an argument, or rather he did, and he stormed out."

"So he's still not home? Oh I swear that boy is grounded until he's fifty," Lorelai says, her frustration with her oldest son rising. "I've told him time and time again he needs to not cut classes, which I know he did today, and he needs to respect curfew. And now he's doing drugs…"

"No, I said he smelled like it, but I could be wrong. But I did ask him and he got very defensive, so I think he is."

Lorelai sits down on the couch and leans into Max, her head on his shoulder, "Well I guess we wait up until he comes home. Or if you want to get to bed I'll wait up."

"I want to wait up with you. We're in this together babe," he states as he grabs her hand and turns his head to kiss her. "How was the wedding?"

"I love you, you know that? The wedding was nice, long but nice. And Michel only made two people cry," Lorelai laughs tiredly.

"See I knew he could refrain from group harassment," Max comments almost smugly.

Lorelai laughs and lays down on the couch resting her head on Max's lap. Max smiles and starts running his fingers through her soft dark brown hair. Lorelai shuts her eyes briefly but opens them and jumps up, smacking Max in the nose with her hand, when she hears a car door.

"Was that him?" She asks.

"What? Was what him?" Max asks as he puts a hand on his nose, and looks at his hand to see if he's bleeding. He's not but it smarted.

"I thought I heard a car door," Lorelai explains as she's staring out the window, into the black of night.

"There was no car door. Hon, you're just anxious. C'mon and sit back down, we'll watch TV."

Lorelai walks back over to the couch feeling a bit dizzy and lightheaded, but otherwise fine. "I'm sorry I hit you, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But please watch where you are swinging your arms next time," he laughs and kisses the tip of her nose. "I love you crazy lady!"

"I love you too, Mr. Wonderful!"

Max reaches for the remote and begins flipping through the channels, but with both their minds on Braden and where he could be, and if he's okay, the few normally acceptable programs on do not even appeal to them. Suddenly Lorelai sits up, a bit gentler this time, and looks at Max with worry written all over her face.

"I feel like one of us should be _out_ looking for him. I—what if he's hurt?"

"I am sure he's fine, probably at a friend's house," Max tries to assure her, but not convincing himself.

Max sits with his arm around Lorelai and rages inside. He's angry with Braden for disobeying, acting out, and mostly with himself for letting it get to this point. He never wanted his children, step or biological, to feel like they had the authority to do whatever they please, whenever they please, and now he knows he's partly responsible for this. He tried to be the "cool" step-dad, to not punish Braden or Rory too much—or severely—to get them to like him more. It's just that he never had to worry about that with Rory. And now, he's angry with himself because he let Braden get so out of control, but that's going to change; starting when Braden gets home.

Not even thinking of sleep, even though they are both exhausted, they stay up. In between sitting on the couch, attempting to focus on the TV, they take turns pacing the floor while quietly ranting and expressing their fears. When the first morning light finally filters in through the window, Lorelai is in full on panic mode. It's five in the morning and Braden never came home. Just as Lorelai is picking up the phone to dial 911, it rings. She answers panicked.

"Braden? Is that you? Where are you?"

"Mrs. Gilmore?" a deep male voice speaks into the receiver.

"Yes, this is her," Lorelai says willing herself to be calm.

"I'm Louise Grant's father. Your son Braden spent the night with my daughter last night."

"He did what?" Lorelai asks, disbelieving. "Is he still there?"

"No, he said he was going home. And yes, I went into my daughter's room, to wake her, and they were cuddled up together, on her bed, with very few clothes on."

"Okay thank you for calling me, Mr. Grant, he's going to be punished."

"Well you're lucky he's still in one piece," Mr. Grant speaks firmly.

Lorelai ends the call and explains to Max what Louise's father had just told her on the phone. To say Max, then, was angry would be an understatement. Just as they're wondering how long it'll take for Braden to come home, he walks through the front door with his Chilton uniform still on but his shirt un-tucked, his tie loose and crooked, and his jacket wrinkled.

"What do you think you were doing?" Lorelai asks him angrily. "Skipping school, disrespecting Max, and staying out _all night_ at Louise's."

"Gee Mom, I don't know, what were you doing when you got pregnant with Rory and I?" Braden turns the questioning around on her with attitude.

His eyes are bloodshot, again, and he smells of marijuana.

"Christopher Braden!" Lorelai shrieks, jumping up to approach him. "You do not take that tone with me. Yes, I wasn't thinking back then, but I don't want you or Rory to end up in the same situation. Are you smoking pot?"

Braden rolls his eyes. "You are worse than your husband."

"Answer me."

"Yes, yes, a million fucking times YES! I am smoking pot. Happy?"

"No, I am not happy. Braden," Lorelai's tone softens and her eyes become sad, "I am very disappointed in you."

Max, who has been sitting on the couch watching the interaction, jumps in then. "Braden, buddy, you are so much smarter than this. What is going on?"

Braden turns to Max then with venom in his eyes. "How do you know? You think you know me, but you don't. You are not my father, and you'll never be."

"Because I can tell," Max says and looking sad, "And I might not be your father, but I would like to be there for you."

"Fuck you!" Braden screams into Max's face, and turns toward the stairs.

"Braden, we have not settled this," Lorelai tries.

"Fuck you, too!"

Braden climbs the stairs loudly, throwing a tantrum like Noah sometimes does, and running into his room he slams the door and turns up his Metallica loudly.

Lorelai looks to Max with tears springing to her eyes, and he embraces her while she cries.

"Maybe I should call Chris; I think Braden might benefit from being with his dad," Lorelai sniffs.

"Well you should call him," Max tells her soothingly as he rubs her back, still embracing her. "He needs to know."

Lorelai pulls away then. "I will but first, I am going to make coffee."

As Lorelai is walking to the kitchen she feels dizzy and just as she's going to grab the banister to steady herself she falls to the floor. She whacks her head, but not hard. For a moment she is unconscious but as Max runs to her, and cradles her head in his lap, she wakes and looks up into his soulful green-gray eyes.

"Are you okay Lorelai?" He asks worriedly.

Lorelai, still staring into those beautiful eyes of her gorgeous husband, starts crying again. Not just for Braden but for what she didn't tell him, and for what could, in the end, happen to their other children.

"Lorelai, what's wrong? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Max asks starting to panic.

"No, nothing like that," she tries to assure him.

"I—I am, well, I am pregnant!"

"What? Really?" Max asks her in shock.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"It's okay," he says bending down to kiss her softly on the lips. "You're okay though?"

Lorelai nods and Max helps her stand up. Then in one swift movement, he lifts her off her feet and carries her to the couch.

"You rest, I'll make breakfast."

"But—"

Max silences her with a kiss and after says, "No buts. Rest!"

And he walks into the kitchen to begin making breakfast.


	3. Nerves and Talks

Sitting on the beige couch Lorelai cannot relax. Her mind keeps racing with thoughts of the whole situation with her oldest son, Braden, and has her over the top stressed out. Debating whether to call Chris or not, she picks up the white cordless phone and sets it back down several times, but after about the fifth time she decides to call. She dials Chris' number slowly, silently rehearsing what she will say.

"Hello," a male voice answers sleepily.

"Chris…"

"Lore?" he questions sitting up in bed. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry to call so early, but it's about Braden."

Chris looks at his alarm clock; it is three-thirty in the morning. So saying that it's early is a bit of an understatement.

"So what's happening with our son?"

"For starters, he's skipping school, and now he's smoking pot. Never mind being completely disrespectful to me, Max, and his teachers," Lorelai sighs as she fights back tears.

"And?"

"What do you mean, 'and'? I'm telling you our son is acting up and getting into drugs, and I just don't know what to do."

"Oh and let me guess, you're going to tell me he's having sex too?" Chris asks, laughing, with his _my give-a-damn's busted_ attitude.

"Chris! This is serious."

"Well I'm sure you and Max can handle it. You never needed me."

"Braden is _our_ son Chris, yours and mine, and you have authority. I'm coming to you for help."

"Gee, Lore I never thought you'd be one of _those_ parents."

Lorelai sighs feeling frustrated, "One of what parents?"

"You know, like our parents, the kind always up their kids' asses about every little thing."

"I'm not like our parents, but Chris, damn-it!"

"Lore, he's a teenager, let him experiment. If I recall correctly, you smoked pot a time or two. And hell, we wouldn't be having this conversation if you hadn't of had sex."

"I had sex with you."

"I know!" Chris says smugly.

"Yeah and if my memory serves me correctly, it was you who talked me into smoking pot. You said it'd be fun to smoke together."

"But you still smoked. I didn't have a gun held up to your head."

"No, but you did have a certain charm that no one could say no to. So what you're basically saying, then, is that because I smoked pot, had sex, and had to be a single teenage parent that Braden should, too?"

"Well you didn't _have_ to be a single mom. That, my dear, was your choice. But what I am saying is that you experimented, let Braden experiment."

"You are absolutely no help in parental decisions, so thanks for nothing. Good bye Christopher," she says in frustration and hangs up before he has a chance to say anything on the contrary. She practically slams the phone on the table then and simply sits, her arms crossed across her chest, and stares straight ahead angrily.

"You okay in there?" Max calls to Lorelai after hearing her get so mad.

"Yeah, fine, thanks hon," she calls back.

Rory walks sleepily, rubbing her eyes, into the living room wearing a Harvard t-shirt and sweatpants—her pajamas—and sits on the couch next to her mom.

"You okay?" Rory questions her mom, looking concerned.

"Just dandy," Lorelai snaps.

"Whoa! Who peed in your cornflakes?" Rory jokes.

"Sorry sweets, I didn't mean to snap at you," Lorelai apologizes.

"It's alright. So what's wrong? Is it Braden?"

"Yes, it's Braden and well, your dad. How'd you guess?"

"I heard the fight you guys had early this morning. What'd Max do?"

"Not Max. It's Chris. I'm sorry you had to hear the fight, though."

"Mom, I can't believe Braden's doing drugs. He knows better."

"I know he does, but I guess he's just experimenting," Lorelai sighs and hugs her daughter. "I love you, kid!"

"Love you, too, Mom!"

Lorelai stands up from the couch, and slips her shoes from the night before on.

"Where are you going?" Rory asks confused.

"I'm going to Doose's, tell Dad I'll be back."

"Okay. Hey can I talk to you later today?"

"Yes, of course you can. Is there something wrong?"

"No, just want to talk."

"Okay. Well I will be back!"

Walking out the front door, she walks quickly with her thumbs tucked in the belt loops of her jeans, and while she looks relaxed she is clearly on a mission.

--- --- --- ---

Returning from Doose's, Lorelai walks through the door carrying a paper bag. She walks into the kitchen and greets Max, Rory, and Noah who are sitting down to breakfast, and she kisses Max on the mouth.

"What you got in the bag mommy?" Noah asks, with his mouth full of food.

"Just some stuff for your brother. You guys keep eating, I'll be right back!"

Lorelai walks up the stairs and when she reaches Braden's room she knocks.

"Braden, open the door!" She screams through the door, over his music.

Braden slides off his bed, opens the door and looks at her as if she's not his mother. "What?" He says coldly.

"May I come in? I want to talk to you."

"Do whatever you want, it's your house," he says and steps away from the door. He flops back down on his bed and she walks in.

Lorelai pushes a pile of clothes over on the bed and sits down. "You should clean your room. How can you find anything in here?"

"You wanted to talk, so talk."

"Look, you are still a minor and you still have to do as I say; no cutting classes, respecting your teachers and Max, and even me, and you need to come in at curfew or before. But the number one person I want you to respect is yourself."

Braden looks at her in confusion. "What the hell do you mean respect myself?"

"I want you to respect yourself enough not to do drugs, or have sex. I know you care about Louise and that's great, but you two can find other things to do."

"You're one to talk…"

"Braden, I know my getting pregnant at sixteen was not the wisest choice, but I just don't want you to be thrown into the same circumstance."

"Are you saying that Rory and I were mistakes?"

"No! Of course not! I just want you to have a childhood. Please, don't rush it. Don't do drugs or have sex, and respect curfew, your body and mind, and Max and I. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Braden replies with his typical teenage angst.

"I do love you very much sweetie!"

Lorelai attempts to hug him after moving closer but he pulls away.

"Do you want to talk about anything?"

"Like what?" He asks.

"The reason you're acting out, or anything."

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know, honestly."

Lorelai nods. "Well if you do want to talk, let me know."

"Thanks."

This time it's Braden who hugs her, and in the hug he finally notices the bag which is sitting beside the bed.

"What's that?" He asks his mom.

"A little gift for you," she begins pulling the bag onto her lap. "I figured you might be getting the munchies, and since I didn't know what you'd feel like, I got a bunch of stuff."

Braden takes the bag offered to him, laughs, and looks inside. He pulls out a two liter of Pepsi, a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, and a package of Oreos. He thanks his mom who is looking at him, delighted but a little worried.

"What is it, Mom?" He asks her, seeing the worry on her face.

"I haven't told anyone but Max, but I thought I'd tell you now."

"Okay," Braden says sounding nervous.

"I'm pregnant."

Braden's eyes widen in shock at his mom's news. "You're pregnant, wow. Congratulations."

"Thanks," she tells him, but sensing he wants to tell her something she adds, "Did you have something else to say?"

"Well, I—uh, I don't know how to—uh, well I don't know how to tell you this," he stammers, already started on the Doritos.

"What is it?" Lorelai asks her son nervously.

"I want to live with Dad."

Lorelai doesn't say anything for a minute, frankly because she's at a loss for words, but remaining calm on the outside, screaming on the inside, she forces herself to speak.

"Why?"

"I just think it'd be better for me. I'm always compared to Rory, here and at school, and I need to be somewhere where nobody knows we're twins, where nobody can compare us. And now, with you having another baby, you'll need more space so it'd be good."

"I'll think about it. You try and get some rest, and we'll talk later."

Lorelai leaves his room shutting the door behind her, and she walks into hers and Max's room. She lies on the bed and sobs. She cries for her son, who wants to live with his dad, three-thousand miles away, and she cries for him because of what he's chosen to put into his body. She cries for nearly an hour until she falls asleep, exhausted.


End file.
